Redemption
by joyusbabs
Summary: What if Dark Knights and Men of Steel didn't fall like Rip said? What if Superman and Supergirl weren't from different earths? What if Superman did trust someone with Kryptonite, different than what he alluded to in Supergirl? What if Ras Al Ghul did not want Oliver as a successor? OR: How exactly would the Justice League form in the Arrowverse with a few minor tweaks?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Saving Friends**

 **A/N: I am putting Supergirl and those characters in the same dimension as Barry and Oliver. Just because my plans for this story include them too, and they must be in the same universe for this to work. I will also be including other DC Characters but those come later. I am putting this under the Justice League category just because I feel that it will fit better there, but if anyone has any suggestions on that, let me know. As always read, enjoy, and review, preferably in that order. I have not forgotten about my other stories, I just can't figure out where to go from there. I am in desperate need of a beta. Volunteers are welcome to PM me at any time. As always, I own nothing, DC does, I'm just playing with these awesome characters. Hopefully, the characters are not too off. I know more about comicbook personalities than the show, but hopefully I know enough to where they're not too OOC. If they are let me know, and I'll try to fix them. Also, I did modify the stories so don't expect everything to have happened exactly according to the episodes. Thank you.**

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He didn't know which one was worse, locking a friend up or hearing her false accusations of betrayal. He's sure that there's a place reserved in hell for people like him. Heartless, that's what he is, he's sure of it. After hearing the cell doors shut, he buries his face in his hands and allows himself to fall back against the wall and slide onto the metal floor. These past few months have been nearly impossible to deal with.

"Barry?" The quiet, understanding voice of the woman he loves, causes him to look up.

Her face shows off her exhaustion, her hair is in disarray. After all this, it came down to one day, one horrible but good day. Iris is safe, injured, her arm is in a sling and splinted, and she'll need physical therapy to move on, due to Savatar's sword cutting tendons in her shoulder and snapping her forearm in half, but she's okay. Iris is not the reason why he'll be going rotting in hell. He turns back toward the door to the cell he shoved his best friend inside. Trying to tell himself that it's for her own good, does little to satisfy his revolted stomach.

He just shakes his head and resumes studying the floor. He can't comfort Iris right now, he knows how that sounds, but he just has nothing left to give.

"Barry?" Her hand on his shoulder and close voice causes him jump. He looks at her and when she reaches up to his eyes with her finger, it's only then that he realizes that he's been crying.

"Barry, it's okay. We got her. We'll help her." Iris says finally, after realizing that Barry's not going to say anything.

Barry just gives a idle nod. His head feels more like a bobble head than his head. He just doesn't know what to do anymore. He should be happy, some part of him insists that's the mood he should be in right now. Celebrating. Savatar's back in the speed-force. It's a good day, but in retaliation, Caitlyn killed ten people. People he wasn't fast enough to save. The entire CCPD knows who she is now. They'll come for her. Their entire lives have been changed and he doesn't know if Caitlyn will ever recover from what she did when they get her back and she still has her memories.

"All those people I couldn't save." He chokes out, searching her eyes, desperately trying to find some sort of solace.

"You're not a bad person, it's not your fault."

Somehow, he thinks those two ideas are not co-dependent, that they can exist independently of each other, but her voice makes him hope. He grabs the fingers of her injured hand, careful of her injury. She must be in pain. Looking from their fingers to her eyes, he suddenly sees the pain buried deep inside them.

"What are you doing up?" He asks.

If Iris cared about the change in subject she doesn't say anything about it.

"I wanted to come check on you. I know you've been working hard." Iris says, finally allowing herself to sit beside him on the floor.

Nodding, "Yes, but so have all of us." When another thought comes to mind, "How's Julian?"

"He's recovering. You got to him in time. He'll have to deal with the flu and the lingering effects of pneumonia but he's alive."

For some reason, he feels great that Julian is alive, but upset that he couldn't save anyone else. Ten people die and as the fastest man alive, he can only save one. Wally and Jesse were both occupied with keeping Savatar occupied and saving Iris. He wasn't even able to save the woman he loved. He couldn't, his time remnant would have seen every move he did before he did it. Him trying to save her would have guaranteed her death, that's a thought that he doesn't think he'll ever get over.

"Barry, talk to me, please?" She asks, her eyes filing with unshed tears as well.

He wishes that they'd fall so he could wipe them away, offer her some small comfort that he couldn't do when he couldn't save her.

"I couldn't save you. If I tried, you would be dead."

"Barry, I'm not dead. You saved me." Her voice is comforting, but he can't believe it. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. Savatar may have looked like you, but he wasn't you."

Barry smiles despite himself and lets his head hang low, "You know me so well, don't you?"

"That story I told you about when you were a little boy and I held you as you cried, wasn't just a story that happened. I know you, Barry, and I'm there for you. I always will be. Savatar wasn't you. I'm safe now because of you." Iris says using her other hand to reach over and grip his arm.

He squeezes the fingers peeking out of the cast. "Where do we go from here?"

"We just take it one day at a time. My death isn't foreseen by the future now, we can do what we want. We can start to plan our wedding."

Despite himself, Barry finds himself smiling at the prospect of marriage. It's something that was placed at the back of everyone's minds and partly forgotten, even by him. He's ashamed to admit that, but it's true. He's allowed Savatar to take over his life, control it. Now that Savatar is gone, his life can get back to normal, whatever that means.

"I think we should rejoin the others." Iris says, she makes no move to leave, though.

Barry looks at her and when he sees the pain reflected in her eyes, he realizes that she probably can't get up by herself without jostling her freshly broken arm. He remembers now, that she came to him, when she should have been resting and recovering. After standing up, he gently puts his arms around her and gets her to her feet.

When they got to the medical room, Barry sat her down on the nearest bed. He sends a quick and wary glance over his shoulder at the unconscious person occupying the far bed. Iris sighs, "He'll be fine, Barry."

"I know, it's just…"

Iris sympathizes with the feeling. She knows how hard it must be for Barry, being the Flash and being unable to help your friends when they need it, but he has to know that he did everything he could.

Barry prepares a painkiller, hooking her back up to an IV and gently guiding her to lay back on the white sterile sheets. After attaching the IV, they share a moment.

"I wasn't fast enough, Iris." He mutters.

She places a hand on his arm, effectively stopping him from whatever it is that he's doing. She's sure that he was just shuffling things around to keep himself occupied. It wasn't working and it was actually annoying, just a little.

"Barry, you did fine. We're all safe. You did the best you could, but even you can't save everyone."

Barry nods, "Thank you, Iris." He says after a moment of introspection.

She just smiles, but due to the painkillers that she's thankful to be reattached to, she starts to yawn and her eyes grow heavier.

He watches as her eyelids droop and she forces them back up only to have them droop again. This time, it's his turn to place a hand on her arm, "Go to sleep, Iris, I'll be here when you wake up."

Giving an imperceptible nod, she allows herself to drift off to oblivion.

Barry stares down at the love of his life. Hating how her arm is in a sling and a cast and the pain that she's in. If only he could share his healing abilities with her. It's with these thoughts in mind that he walks out to the main computer hub, staring as his friends work tirelessly to build power dampeners for Caitlyn.

"Any luck?" He asks.

Cisco and Harry shake their heads. Harry and Jesse came over from their respective earths to aid in the task of trapping Savatar in the speed-force.

"Okay, well, is there any progress on a cure?"

"No, we need Caitlyn to help with that, not to mention Julian." Cisco adds.

Barry frowns, "We've got to get her back."

"Bare, we will, we're already on our way there." Joe says.

Barry turns to the dark-skinned hand of his surrogate father as it's on his shoulder and nods in response. He fists his hands and places them on the table. "How's Iris?"

Not looking up at Jesse, he just shakes his head, "She's out now. Her arm is putting her in a lot of pain."

Everyone seems to stay silent at that and it for some reason, infuriates Barry. It feels like they're judging him for not being there. He couldn't, he would have condemned, her yet that reassurance does little for him.

"Whoa, no way." Wally's tone suddenly adds much needed levity to a room of all bright lights and brooding.

"What is it?" Despite the light tone, Barry still finds himself instinctually on alert. He pushes off the console and enters a defensive stance. He knows he's probably judging the situation all wrong, but his nerves are on edge right now and different has almost never proven to be good.

Looking up, Wally seems to notice Barry's stance, and he tilts his head in confusion, "It's a friend of mine. He's in Central right now, and he hit me up. He wants to know if I want to catch up with him."

"Oh, who is it?" Joe asks.

"He's from Bludhaven. I don't know why he's here, but it'll be nice to catch up."

"Bludhaven?" At Joe's startled and guarded voice the other occupants of the room seem to frown.

Wally shrugs, "You can relax, he's a cop. His name's Dick Grayson. I ran into him when I was speed racing in Bludhaven. He pulled me over, but was cool about it and let me off. Gotham doesn't have the wide roads that Bludhaven has."

"Gotham? When were you there?" Joe asks again, this time there's an edge to his voice. While Barry's curious and it's no secret that Gotham isn't the safest, he finds himself not to concerned that Wally even spent time around there.

"Relax, okay, I was only there for a short while. Mom had to find work and Gotham looked like it might've had some job opportunities. She and I quickly left there, though when she got a job elsewhere. We were both happy to leave."

"Cecile worked in Gotham for a while, she won't even talk about it. I had no clue that you were in Gotham even for a short time."

"Yeah, it wasn't pleasant, but we were there while everyone crazy was locked up."

"Did you happen to see anything?" Cisco's leering voice breaks the building tension.

Barry had no clue there even was tension until Cisco's voice came into the mix. He even released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Looking at Cisco, however, he notices that the other man's eyes have suddenly taken on a wistful tone, almost awestruck. Leaving Cisco's dreamy-eyed look to himself, Barry turns back to Wally.

"I didn't." Wally shakes his head, clearly unsure what the other man was referring to, "Anyways, he's in town. I'm going to go say hi." About to speed off, he stops and then after a beat, turns to Jesse.

"Do you want to come with, Babs might me with him, so you could both meet?" Wally asks.

"Babs?"

Wally's not entirely sure who asked, but he nods absently, "Yeah, Dick's girlfriend. They're virtually inseparable."

Jesse nods, "Okay, sure. It sounds fun."

"Well, we'd like to meet him." Joe says quickly.

"Oh, yeah, um…sure. We can plan a dinner for later in the week. He's here visiting his brother, who is interning here in Central, so they'll be here for a while."

"Okay, yeah." Barry smiles, "When Iris gets some rest, we could meet at Joe's place."

"Yes, that would work." Joe nods.

With that Jesse and Wally speed away, and out of the room, leaving the rest to watch over Iris and Julian. Barry runs a hand down his haggard face, "I'm glad that one of us is having fun."

Joe nods, "Yeah."

"Did you know Wally has a friend from Bludhaven or that he lived in Gotham?" Cisco asks, again with that tone, he's all but drooling for information.

"What is it with you when it comes to Gotham and Bludhaven?" Joe asks. To be honest, everyone in the room is curious, even though they've been silent. Cisco's awestruck voice hasn't escaped anyone.

Cisco just shakes his head, "How can you be the father and fiancé of a reporter, work for the police department and have never heard of anything in Gotham or Bludhaven?"

Hearing a groan, quickly stops whatever conversation that was going to happen, everyone crowds the windows of the medbay as Cisco and Barry rush inside to help a rousing Julian.

Coming to, is not an easy task. He realizes that he feels chilled to the bone and when he tries to open his mouth to say something all that comes out is a gurgle, and he finds out that his throat is sore. Hearing something in the distance he scrunches his eyes, he'd like to open them, but it's like his eyes are glued shut. He screws his face and gives it another go.

Opening his eyes is no easy task and keeping them open when the lights threaten to blind him is nearly impossible, but when a face comes into his line of vision and in front of the light beaming down on him he nearly sighs in relief.

"I…" He struggles, "Water."

Cisco nods and Barry is there in an instant with water in his hand.

"Hey, big guy, you've been out for a while." Cisco says.

Nodding, he takes a much-needed sip and pushes it away, before sitting up, "It's cold." He mumbles.

"What do you remember?" Barry asks.

Frowning, he clearly is trying to think, until he nearly launches himself out of bed, "Caitlyn! What's wrong, is she okay?"

Forcing him back to bed, and attempting to hold him there before he hurts himself, Barry and Cisco explain, "She's fine. We got her. She's locked up, we're having trouble with the new power dampeners. When you feel up to it, we'd like your help." Cisco explains.

"I'm ready now, let's get to work." Julian forces himself off the bed and away from the hands trying to push him down.

Joe and HR are quick to stop Barry and Cisco from pushing him back down. "It's good to have you back with us." Joe says with a smile. He's more than happy to see the other man awake. The cold caused him to go down and be scarily still. He was nearly too cold that they lost him.

"Where do we start?" Same old Julian, Barry thinks. Wasting no time on pleasantries, and cutting right to the chase. Everyone is slightly annoyed by this, but very much relieved at the same time. No one on Team Flash lost their lives, even with the civilians that were lost it's a small victory and one in which they can relish.

"We have to figure out a failsafe for them in addition to how we can strengthen them without tampering with her genetics." Harry explains quickly.

It's then that they realize they have two likeminded individuals that will work before they do anything else. However, despite all this, Cisco just starts explaining their progress.

It's only a few short hours later when they finally manage to get a prototype working, something temporary, but enough to where Caitlyn can return to her old self.

"It wasn't your fault." Barry stresses. He tries again to take another step forward, but the cold stare that he gets from the woman in front of him is reminiscent of the stare that Killer Frost would give him. He stops in his tracks and when he sees the stricken look come onto her face and knows that his expression betrayed the fear he felt inside when he saw that look.

"By the look on your face I can tell that you don't believe that." Her voice comes out hollow and nothing like the Caitlyn that they all know and love.

Iris sits, propped up on her bed, her arm in a sling and dismissive of everyone's attempts to put her back on painkillers, "Barry, can Caitlyn and I have a moment?"

Barry nods and tries not to be hesitant about leaving Iris alone with Caitlyn. Inwardly he knows that Caitlyn is no longer beholden to Killer Frost but he hesitates around her. He refuses to look her in the eye as he leaves the room because he's sure that she saw him do that and he doesn't want to face her look of hurt and self-depreciation just yet.

"What do you think they're talking about in there?" Cisco asks.

Harry rolls his eyes and sighs, "For the tenth time, I have no idea." His hands are fisted on the console in front of him. No one is exactly all that positive Caitlyn will ever be Caitlyn again, but they all love her enough to pour their heart and souls into trying to help her find herself again.

Barry lets out a laugh, and Julian just groans, "I think it's best for everyone if we just let them be." Joe finally says, walking over.

The impatient and quickening pace of drumsticks beating on metal seem to be getting louder and louder, until—

"Will you please cut out that racket." Julian all but shouts.

At HR's subdued expression, everyone grows quiet and suddenly the silence is deafening, "You know what you need?" HR says, despite the thick tension or in spite of it, no one is all that sure, "You need to take a deep breath," He demonstrates, "And—"

"—I know what I need, and it's nothing that you can help me with."

Everyone winces at the venomous tone that Julian lets rip from his mouth and even HR seems rightfully put in place.

Cisco's never been one to come to HR's defense, in fact most of the time he finds the guy annoying and for much the same reason that everyone else does, but with no one all that particularly happy, he finds Julian's self-loathing and unhappiness particularly irritating.

"You know, you don't have the monopoly on unhappiness right now." Cisco says, "And another thing, we are all upset about Caitlyn and all want her back. So, you need to get in line, some of us have known her much longer."

Before Julian in his red-faced anger can stop glaring and build a snarky response, a small, quiet voice comes from behind them, causing everyone to be silent for a much different reason.

"I'm sorry." The voice says again, when they all turn to face the two women who are standing just outside the medbay with worried expressions.

"We know, and we also know that it wasn't you." Barry is quick to reply. He wants no reservations to be in Caitlyn's mind about who they blame. Her becoming Killer Frost is no one's fault, least of all hers.

Caitlyn nods, but everyone can tell her hearts not in it, but then her expression becomes unreadable when Julian steps forward.

"I'm sorry…I just couldn't bear the thought of losing you...I—"

"Julian, I can't talk about it right now. I need some time." Caitlyn says, quickly and effectively shutting him up, much to everyone's clandestine relief.

"I never meant to hurt you." Julian whispers.

"I know, it's just I have some things I need to deal with." Caitlyn replies, "I think whatever we had before I became Killer Frost is not something I can jump back into right now."

Everyone knows how hard Julian fought to get her back and everyone rightfully remains quiet, allowing this moment to play out no matter how painful it might be to watch.

"Take whatever time you need." Julian relents.

Caitlyn's face is contrite, and everyone is sure that her expression means that she has no intention of resuming whatever she and Julian had, and everyone is positive that Julian can ascertain this for himself as well, but no one dares says a word.

"I say that we work on being a team again." HR says, this time his oblivious tension breaking skills seem to be welcomed.

Caitlyn's smile suddenly has more life in it, and Barry realizes that everything is going to work out and for that reason he, too, smiles.

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 **A/N: Also, if you're feeling up for it, it would be greatly appreciated if you checked out my book. It's available on amazon. Its name is _Valentine Chronicles: Renatus_. It's also coming to the Barne's and Noble website and Nook. **

**Reviews are love, people, so please share some with me.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 **A/N: Wow! I didn't think anyone liked this fanfic. I was going to delete it, but the follows and favs I've received are wonderful and inspiring. Thank you! I own nothing, to my great displeasure, but the plot is mine. As always, reviews are love, so when you're done if there's something you like or something that you don't, please leave me a review. Also, if you'd like to support me, please check out my book on amazon, I'll have the synopsis to my book at the end of the chapter.**

"So, Dick, it's been a while." Wally says with grin as he and Jesse walk up to Dick Grayson.

To Wally he hasn't seen the other man in quite some time, since Dick was just starting as Officer Grayson in the Bludhaven Police Department, when he pulled him over. At first, he was rather upset with the cop, but then he realized rather quickly that Dick was an amicable guy and even further that they got along great.

"Yeah, definitely. So, this is where you're living now, huh?" Dick grins as he, Jesse, and Wally sit down at a table in the middle of Jitters, taking a sip of his mocha, he grins good-naturedly, "Still drag racing?"

"No, I've left that life behind." Wally laughs, "What about you, have you moved up in rank at all since I last saw you?"

"It's only been a year, Wally, but yeah, it's in the works."

"Congratulations!" Wally says and that's when the throat clearing to his immediate left causes him to look sheepish, "Sorry, Dick, this is Jesse, Jesse, this is Dick." He introduces.

Dick reaches over the table, holding out a hand for the woman. "It's good to meet you, Jesse."

Jesse nods, "It's good meet you too, Dick."

"So, Wally, you've actually got a girlfriend now, huh? Haven't scared her away yet?"

"Shut up, Dick, you're such a dick."

Rolling his eyes, "As though I've never heard that one before."

"That's what you get when your name has all sort of nicknames and you choose Dick as your favorite." Wally laughs.

"So, Jesse, from what Wally tells me, you and he work together?"

"More or less." Jesse states uneasily, "I don't really live in Central, I'm just here with my father right now."

"Oh, so long distance, then."

"More or less."

"Well, man, we've got to do something, your brother can come too if he wants."

"What?"

"Your brother, you said he's here in Central interning?"

Dick nods and seems to think about something before he replies, "Yeah Tim, he's got an internship here in Central, as far away from Gotham as he can get, I guess."

"Well, you should have him join us. I know that my dad would like to have you over, you can invite him, too. We can have dinner at my dad's house."

"That'd be nice, thanks. And so, you've gotten in touch with your dad, I know last time I saw you, that was a sore spot for you."

"Where's Tim interning at in Central?" Jesse asks.

"Wayne Enterprises. There's a branch of it here in Central, although it's a small one."

"Wayne Enterprises, like the Wayne Enterprises from Gotham? That's a sweet deal. How'd he land that?"

"Well, it—" The vibrating in his pocket, stops him from saying what he wants. He looks at the phone and groans before answering. "What do you want?"

Wally can't hear the other side of the conversation, but he can tell it's not a pleasant one if Dick's tone is to be taken into account.

"So, I'm going to go, I'll see you later." Jesse says, giving Wally a small peck on the lips.

Wally frowns, "Why?"

Jesse gives Wally a knowing look, "You know why. I'm just here as a third wheel. You should have a chance to catch up with your friend. I'll go back to Star Labs—"

"You don't have to leave on my account." Dick says, as he pockets his phone.

Smiling, "It'll give you two a chance to catch up."

"So, Jesse, where does your dad work, that you're here in Central?" Dick asks.

Jesse sees that Dick's trying to keep her from leaving, and she smiles despite herself.

"Where's Babs?" Wally asks quickly.

Suddenly, Jesse perks up at this. She was told that Dick's girlfriend might be here. In fact, that's the whole reason she came, so she could have someone to talk to and wouldn't feel like a third wheel.

Chuckling, "That's what the phone call was about. Jay, my uhh…other brother, or one of them at least, he's here in Central too, he held Babs up, but she's coming."

"How many brothers do you have?" Jesse asks.

"Just brothers, well, that would be, well, I'm the oldest, then Jason, then Cass, she's my sister, then Tim, and well, now there's Damian, he's the youngest."

"What the hell? I didn't know you had such a big family," Wally asks. He's known Dick for some time, sure they haven't seen each other in a year but the man has never mentioned his family not once. It's just never come up.

Shrugging, "Well, it's a running joke among all of us, that Bruce had to adopt four kids before he finally had one of his own."

"Who's Bruce?"

"My—"

"Oh, good you're here."

Jesse looks over Dick's shoulder and notices that the man that's coming up to them is only a few years younger than Dick. His black hair is styled back, not like Dick's locks that are loose in his face. There's also a thick white streak that runs through his locks. It's striking against his black hair, and his green eyes are piercing to gaze into, almost like there's something unsettled in them.

"Hey, Babs." Dick walks over to the woman rolling herself in behind the man and bends down to give her a hug.

"Dick, I can't believe you left me with Jason." She says. "You know we don't get along."

"Oh, please, Babs, you love me and you know it." Jason says, as he takes a seat across from Wally and Jesse. He plops his feet atop of the table and reclines back into the booth.

"Who are these idiots?" Jason tosses over his shoulder.

Rolling his eyes with a sigh, Dick walks up to the table, to see his brother occupying the seat he was just sitting in and groans at the scene before him. A flabbergasted Wally and Jesse and a cavalier Jason.

"Jason, get your feet off the table." Babs says as she rolls up to the table. Turning to Wally and Jesse, she smiles, "Hi, I'm Barbara Gordon, but everyone calls me Babs. I'm Dick's girlfriend and this dumbass is Jason. He's unfortunately Dick's family." She finishes that last note with a smile and both their glares meet.

Dick tries to take a seat next to Jason, but with the boots in his face, and with Jason taking up most of the room, he turns to his younger brother, "You mind?"

"Not at all." Jason says, peaking one eye open before going back to trying to sleep.

"Sir, you cannot have your feet on the furniture. If you don't remove them, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." A kind but stern voice causes Jason to moan as he takes his feet down and sits normally.

"You can make him leave now, if you want." Babs says excitedly, but the waitress just gives an approving nod Jason's way before walking away to tend to other customers.

"So, I ask you, who are these two dumbasses."

"Wow, rude much?" Dick asks, turning to his brother.

"Ehh…where's the replacement. I'm shocked he isn't here."

"You know, unlike you he does actually do something productive with his time." Babs growls, "Why don't you just go?"

"I'm so hurt, Babs, you don't want me here."

"No, what gave you that idea?"

Scoffing, he takes Dick's drink easily and starts drinking from it, "This is disgusting, Goldie, why did you get this?"

"Jason, if you're only here to make our lives unpleasant go somewhere else." Dick says finally snatching his drink out of his brother's hand.

Rolling his eyes, he just shakes his head, "I'll behave, I promise."

Wally and Jesse just look on completely bemused by this whole experienced. They hadn't expected this at all, but then again, who would? The guy was shameless, Jesse notices. She also once again takes notice of his rugged good looks and wild personality. She can't help but admire it, but he does seem insufferable to live with. His leather jacket and biker attire does give him the distinct air of danger.

"You done, staring, Sweetheart?" Jason asks with a knowing grin.

Jesse rightfully blushes, her face turning beet red, she can feel all eyes on her and she wants to sink into her seat and disappear when she feels Wally's heated gaze on her face. No doubt he's extremely jealous right now, not that he had any reason to be. She's not unfaithful and she loves Wally, it's just she's never seen anyone like this Jason-guy before.

"You know, you are kind of the fifth wheel, maybe you could go and leave us in peace." Babs suggests again, her voice makes it painfully obvious to everyone that she wants Jason to leave and not come back.

"Nah, I think I'm good right here." Jason says with a smirk, giving Babs a wink.

"Ugghh…can't you make him go away, Dick?"

"What about you two?" Jason asks, bringing a heated Wally and an embarrassed Jesse into the conversation. He flashes his white teeth their way and leans back into his seat.

"Maybe you should go." Wally says after a minute. It's not that he dislikes the guy, okay, maybe he does. His personality is too much and whatever is happening with Jesse and Jason is not something he wants to encourage. He has half a mind to punch the guy unconscious, with his speed he could do it too, and no one would be the wiser, but that would be wrong. So, wrong…He can't get over how right it would feel, he means wrong, but at the same time his hand fisting under the table is vibrating with the need to do it and worst of all, the guy seems like he can tell, too. His grin just keeps growing and the quick flicker of the eyes down at the table as though he's seeing through it and back up at Wally's face tells him that this guy is looking for a fight.

"Well, I'll go." Jason says as he slaps the table and stands.

Dick quickly scrambles out of the way before Jason just plows right over him.

As soon as he's out of ear shot, and out the door, Dick turns to Babs and he groans, "Why did you have to bring him along?"

"I felt bad for him, he was all lonely and pathetic looking, I don't know!"

"He's always pathetic looking." Dick turns to the other two, "I'm sorry, guys, that was my brother Jason. He's a bit much sometimes."

"Sometimes!"

"Babs, come on. You know he does that because like Bruce he can't handle emotion."

"Are you trying to tell me underneath that spikey distasteful exterior is a soft cuddly center that just wants to be loved?"

"Okay, I so did not need that imagery and I'm sure that everyone at this table can agree."

"My point exactly."

"Sorry, guys, Jason is my brother, but he's an acquired taste to deal with."

"Well, you can say that again." Wally laughs, but it's hollow. He still can't let it escape from his mind that Jason and Jesse had something, however brief. It infuriates him, but the more he dwells on it the more he realizes how idiotic he's being. Jesse would probably yell at him for even thinking of her this way. He feels ashamed, for doubting her no matter how slight.

"So, is Tim like that?" Wally asks.

Dick just laughs, "You can rest assured that none of my family is like that. Jason's just a special case, he's been through a lot."

Jesse can tell there's a story there, probably a painful one too, judging by the man's tone, but she doesn't press it. She can tell that Jason got under Wally's skin, even under hers, but in a drastically different way, and she's not about to start prying into people's lives, especially when she just met these people. That would be rude, but she can't help but be intrigued by the story, whatever it might be.

 **A/N: And yes, I am hinting that there might be more Jason/Jesse here. Review to tell me if you like this pairing. This fic is going to be slightly different than my others, it's going to be slower and a lot more agonizing to bring out. I am greatly appreciative of those of you who are willing to take a chance on this story. Please review to tell me what I'm doing wrong or right with this story. Let me know if someone's OOC, this is my first time writing most of these characters and I plan to use them again and again. Also, here's a synopsis for my book, please support me and check it out, it's on amazon and now on Nook as well.**

In a future world, divided into just 4 countries, Markus Valentine becomes the new, 18-year-old Emperor of Eurasia, following the death of his father.

Arena fighting is the main sport and a newly rising star is Fane. He believes that arena fighting should be to the death, but the law forbids murder and those found guilty are sentenced to death.

This is the fate of Cornelius Johnston, a man who murdered his fiancée at the behest of his father, and whose life will become inextricably entwined with that of the new Emperor.

When Fane kills another man in the Arena, he is pardoned by Markus, much to the dismay of the crowd. But the new favourite and the young Emperor are soon on a collision course as both men fall in love with the alluring Rosalyn.

But after Fane and Rosalyn marry, Markus becomes jealous. He kills her family and takes her for his own, intent that she will provide him with a son and heir.

Exiled and alone, Fane meets Amaranta and they have two children together. But the memory of what Markus Valentine did still cuts deep and he is determined to exact vengeance on him.

Will a gladiator have his revenge on an Emperor? And will a murderer be pardoned against the laws of the country?


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